Sinn Féin - On Your Side

International community has responsibility to bring an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine

Speaking in the Dáil today, on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Sinn Féin Human Rights and International Affairs spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, called on the international community to act on its responsibility to help end Israel's illegal occupation of the area. Deputy Ó Snodaigh said the occupation itself is ultimately responsible for all the humanitarian failures and human rights abuses in Palestine.

He said, "As highlighted by Human Rights NGO Al-Haq, during the past 365 days Israeli military operations resulted in the deaths of 562 Palestinians, many of whom were civilians, including 86 children.

"Given the potential for peace posed by the current ceasefire, there is an urgent need for the government to recognise on this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People that the source cause of the humanitarian failures and human rights abuses in the area is ultimately the Israeli occupation itself. The international community including Ireland must finally act on its responsibility to bring an end to this illegal occupation.

"I would like to commend the active citizenship demonstrated by IPSC members in Limerick last weekend who persuaded Atlantic Homecare to remove Israeli goods from the shop floor and I would call on the government to follow that example by suspending preferential trade between the EU and Israel." ENDS